


The Bystander and The Monster

by Calentius



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Asriel Dreemurr Lives, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Asriel - Freeform, Asriel Dreemurr - Freeform, Attack, Death, Human, Laid To Rest - Freeform, Multi, POV First Person, Short Story, What-If, body - Freeform, chara, saved - Freeform, villagers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-20
Updated: 2017-07-20
Packaged: 2018-12-04 12:59:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11555703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calentius/pseuds/Calentius
Summary: Wally, Chara's only friend in the village reminisces the times they spent together before he mysteriously disappeared. Those memories led to regret as he did nothing to help his friend. Now another chance arises for Wally to act. Will he continue being the bystander, or will he ACT?This short story is a what-if, cannon divergence AU scenario that deals with Asriel's visit to Chara's village.  I made this as a one-off project. I don't plan on adding anything more to this short story. (Unless for some reason there is a huge demand for it)





	The Bystander and The Monster

**Author's Note:**

> Once again, I am aware of how short this little story is, but I thought it would be fun to think about this alternate scenario, and its' potential outcomes.
> 
> Please leave any comments/kudos/feedback! It would be greatly appreciated!

In the schoolyard, I watched him get bullied. At home, I watched him get abused by his parents. Now, he is gone, missing, disappeared without a trace. I heard rumors he was kidnapped after school, others say he ran away. The village was abuzz over the loss, but after a few weeks, it seemed like they had forgotten his existence entirely. I still think about him to this day.

His name was Chara.

Now it has been over a year since his disappearance. Every day, after school, I walk by the park where we played at. We would lay on the golden flowers and look to the sky, imagining things in the clouds. While laying there, we looked at Mt. Ebott, wondering why we were not allowed to cross the chain link fence to the mountain. I remembered a few days before he disappeared he told me he found a way through the fence, and insisted me to come with him to explore. I said no, and now, I regret that decision. When he disappeared, I eventually found the hole in the fence that he had talked about. I figured if he disappeared, he might have ran off through the fence, but none of the villagers thought he would do that.

I have always wished I could hit the rewind button, to change the decisions I have made previously. I wish I could stop the bullies who made fun of his name and appearance. I wish I could stop his father from whipping him with the belt. I wish I could have been with him when he wanted to explore beyond the chain link fence. And now, those opportunities have passed, he is long gone, and now forgotten in the village’s eyes.

My personal thoughts were disturbed by the final school bell. It was time to go. I looked at the clock and discovered it was four o’clock.

“Hey, Wally, time to go.” Andy pulled my sleeve. I stood up and wrapped my backpack around my shoulders. We exited the school building and proceeded to walk home. Luckily for my village, everything was within walking distance. There were a few buses, but those were used for the kids who lived out in the farms. We walked through several blocks. Passing by the village park.

“Andy, I am going to the park for a bit. Wanna hang out here with me?” I asked him. 

“No thanks. Wally, we have a big test tomorrow, I gotta study.” he said to me.

“Well, I am still going to the park...I’ll see ya later then.” I replied, heading for the village park. Andy continued to walk. As I walked through the park, I saw the golden flower patch that Chara and I layed in. Feeling sentimental, I decided to lay on the flowerbed, just like what we did years ago. I closed my eyes and gave a deep breath reminiscing the times we spent together. 

“Wally, I wish we could lay like this forever, looking at the skies… dreaming of flying high above the clouds.”

“Chara, you and me one day, we will fly in the skies, away from this boring village, away from your mom and dad. When we grow up, me and you…. We’ll take the skies, and fly away from this boring village.”

“That day cannot come any sooner Wally.” 

Suddenly the sounds of screams and yelling awoke me. I look at my watch on my wrist, and discovered that I slept for two hours. My parents are going to kill me! I sat up quickly and looked around my surroundings. My heart raced as I knew I was in big trouble, I noticed a large group of people heading towards the park from the distance. They walked as if they were a mob, perhaps they were searching for me? A sobbing sound was heard from behind, I turned around, looking for the source of the crying.

My heart stopped at the sight. I felt time froze as I stared at the goat-like creature that stood on two feet. It was holding my friend Chara, his body was limp. It was not aware of my presence as the creature was too focused in its’ own sadness. Looking at the goat creature, it looked hurt and abused, the robe it wore was tattered with holes and cuts. The creature looked like it was attacked by the villagers. I glanced at the mob again, which was encroaching closer and closer. They were not looking for me, they were looking for the goat thing. As I stared at it, I could see the innocence in his eyes, they were all too familiar to me, as if I had seen it before. 

“HA! Who goes by the name CHARA? Are you a GIRL? Because you look like one!”

“Aww.. little Chara is crying… you are such a WIMP! No wonder you look like a GIRL!”

“Let’s teach girly Chara how to toughen up!”

I remember seeing his eyes when the bullies ganged up on him. Confusion, fear, sadness. I looked at the monster and saw the same eyes, like it was Chara himself, crying. I looked at my friend’s body, and looked at the creature again. My gut is telling me that the creature is responsible for Chara’s condition, but my mind and heart, tell me there is something more. My heart continued to race, as I feared the creature and the mob that was coming for it. I noticed a cut on the back, it reminded me of the the cut the belt did to Chara’s back. I watched in horror when that happened, and did nothing about it. 

And now yet I stand, doing nothing about the creature in front of me. Should I do nothing, like I always have done, or should I step in? My mind fluttered in thought. Doing nothing will condemn it, and doing something, might change the creature's fate. Two choices, both seem easy, both scare me. The yelling of the mob pierced my ears, and the sobbing of the creature tore into my heart and soul. If only I could hit the rewind button, and stood for Chara, helped him. If only. It was now or never, I felt my decisions at this moment weigh against my whole body and soul. I bit my tongue, and made a choice.

“Hey!” I called to the creature. It was too focused in grief that it was still not aware of my presence. I walked slowly to it, carefully, not to startle.

“Chara?” I called out.

“Yes?” The creature called out. I was puzzled by its’ response, it spoke clear english and sounded like someone my age. But why did it respond to ‘Chara’?

“I meant my friend you are holding on your hands, what happened to him?” I asked. I glanced at the mob, which were almost to the park. Time was running out for us.

“He… got sick. His last wish was to be put to rest with the golden flowers.” The creature responded.

“Kill that monster! He killed Chara!” the mob chanted in the distance. I began to sweat in fear.

“Look, you are about to be killed by that group of people over there!. I want to help you...you… you did nothing wrong to us! Please… just… come with me!”

“No.” 

“Why?!” I yelled. The creature sobbed again.

“I made a promise to him.” 

“You have less than five minutes to come with me. Please, come… I hate to see this happen to you. I have seen it before. To Chara.” I pleaded. I walked in front of the goat being. “Let me help you then. He was my friend… we used to rest on these flowers.” Its’ sadness was transferring to me, as I saw my friend's cold, emotionless body on it’s arms. I was still in disbelief at the sight, but I knew it was Chara. I held my hands out, and placed them on Chara’s back and legs, across from the creature’s. I could feel the creature’s strength weaken from holding his body. 

Slowly, but surely we both lowered Chara’s body onto the flowerbed.

“Kill that monster! Kill that monster!” The mob chants grew progressively louder. I ignored the chant as the only thing I needed to do was to rest Chara’s body. As the body was laid on the flowers, I looked at the creature's’ eyes, our eyes made contact. For some reason, I felt a sense of familiarity coming from it. I felt the need to give a few parting words to my friend.

“Chara… I… should have came with you….. But I did not. I could have saved you…. I could stopped you… I could have…” I murmured to myself. “Good bye, Chara, my friend.”

“Please… leave me be.” The creature said.

“No! You do not have to go like this!” I argued. 

“Thank you for helping me…and him.”

“No, thank you for bringing him back.”

I grabbed the creature’s hand, pulling his arm.

“What are you doing?” It said in shock.

“Saving you. We are going somewhere no one will go. Mt. Ebott. We will be safe from the villagers.” I used every bit of my strength to move the being.

“Mt. Ebott…”

“I cannot pull you like this, we will both be caught!” A tear ran down my eye. “Please…. You are not a monster, like what they say you are. You are a better person than the people who live here!” More tears came down, as my heart poured with sadness. “Don’t you have a family, a mom or dad that will miss you?” I cried.

The goat being shook my hand away.

“I do. Asgore, Toriel…. They… want to see me again!” the being’s voice filled with hope.

“Come with me then… let’s get out of this village!” I begged. The creature complied as it began to follow me as I ran out of the park. 

“The monster is chasing the kid! Get him!” A villager called out.

“Keep running!” I screamed, hoping it would keep up. A gunshot was heard in the distance. I ran faster as the gunfire scared me.

“Wally!” a female villager screamed.

We passed through multiple streets of the village, snaking around the roads, trying to lose the mob of villagers behind us, they seemed to be catching up as I noticed the creature’s pace slowing down.

“Kill that monster, it kills children!” The mob chanted again.

I felt exhaustion hit my body like a brick as we finally arrived in the outskirts of the village. The trail to Mt. Ebott was almost within reach. Hoping to throw the mob off of our trail, I threw my backpack towards a different road, and ran towards the trail with the creature. We both hid in a thick bush, hoping that the mob will pass by. Hearing the mob’s footsteps made my heart stop in fear.

“They went on that way! I think I see them over there!” a villager yelled.

“Get the rifles out, we need to stop it!” another yelled.

I turned to the goat being and noticed it was staring at me. It’s face looked happy, thankful for what I have done. After some time, I peeked out of the bush, and noticed that the mob had passed by. We stepped out of the bush and headed down the trail to the ominous mountain. I felt my body relax as I felt safe again, at least for now.

When we reached the chain link fence, the creature looked to me.

“This is where we say goodbye. What is your name?”

“Wally.” I replied.

“Wally… that is a nice name. My name is Asriel. I am a monster from the Underground. We live deep within this mountain.”

“Asriel… did you know Chara?” I asked.

“I did….” A sob came from his eyes. “I….I’m… sorry, but I have to go now.” He hopped the fence.

“Asriel! Don’t go!” I screamed. I found the hole in the fence and crawled through. “Asriel! I am coming with you!”

Asriel stopped suddenly.

“No… Wally. Don’t.. You won’t be able to return. There is nothing but sadness from where I come from.”

“I...want to know about what happened Chara.” I caught up to Asriel. “Could I at least… walk with you until I can’t walk with you no more?” I pleaded. Asriel smiled at me. “Please?” 

“Wally, you knew Chara?” The goat monster asked, we began to walk together.

“I did… he was a good friend. He… did not have much friends here in the village.” I replied

“Chara was like a brother to me.” Asriel said to me.

“How did you get to know him?” 

“He fell down… to the Underground. I noticed him sitting alone. I helped him up, and offered him to meet my mom and dad. He smiled when I held my hand out for him, and we were happy together. We lived in joy, nothing could separate us, until one fateful day, he got sick.” Asriel began to cry again.

“With his final breath… he told me to rest him in the golden flowers in his village. Then we passed the barrier and I began my trek to the village.”

“He… was happy with you….and your family… happier than the human beings that he lived with.” I said, feeling his sorrow.

“Wally, I felt like I was supposed to die from the villagers, I was already attacked prior to meeting you. I knew I could not hold all of them off. But I made a promise to him, and you helped me fulfill that. Thank you Wally, without you helping me… I could have not seen my mom and dad again. I will tell my mom and dad about you, and how you helped me put Chara to rest. Perhaps if we meet again, we can visit you.” 

“Asriel… I want to learn more about your kind. You sure I cannot come?”

“Yes. It took a huge sacrifice to get me out from the underground, I don’t want you to be trapped with us, especially when you have a family of your own.”

I kept quiet and thought about what he had said to me. We began ascending upwards into Mt. Ebott, the walk was treacherous, but Asriel seemed to know where to go. We eventually reached a cave entrance, where Asriel stopped me.

“We’re here… the cave that leads to the barrier… this is where we must say goodbye.” Asriel sobbed. I heard a strange echo through the cave.

“I… want to see it… this Barrier.” I said to him. 

“Wally, I don’t want to risk you getting trapped with us…. If you accidentally pass through that barrier, you cannot return…” 

“I want to see the barrier.”

“Fine, come with me then… but I did not say I warned you.” 

We both entered the cave, the echo got louder as we moved deeper. I noticed a corridor of light reflecting off the the cave walls.

“This is the barrier.” Asriel announced. “Take a few more steps, and you will be stuck with us.” Asriel turned around and looked at me directly.

“Wally…. Thank you. Thank you for saving me.” Asriel smiled at me. I stared at his visage, and saw something spectacular, Chara stood beside him, as if he was alive.

“Thank you Wally… thank you for being such a good friend, even to a monster like Asriel.” Chara said to me.

“Before you go Asriel…. Will we ever meet again?” I asked.

“I am not sure… perhaps one day. Perhaps never. Seeing the surface fills me with hope that our people can come out from the Underground. I… I… could have broken the barrier… But all I want to do right now is go home… with my mom and dad.” Asriel turned around.

“Wait! Asriel!” I pulled on his robe.

“What is it?” He asked.

“What if I want to help your people, free you and your parents from the underground?”

“I.. don’t want you to kill your own kind to help us. Just… let me go, we will be fine down here.” He continued to walk, I clutched his robe tighter. “Thank you Wally, for what you have done.” He said. I hugged Asriel, stopping him from taking any more steps. I could feel a force similar to gravity begin to pull me towards the barrier.

“Wally, stop this… any more movement, and you will be pulled with me and be stuck underground.” Asriel pleaded to me.

“How can I break this barrier?” I begged. Asriel turned around.

“Wally, why are you so persistent in helping my people?”

I remained silent. I noticed the light revealing a silhouette of two larger bipedal monsters in the distance.

“Look Asriel, there is two people waiting for you at the end of the cave.” I called out. He turned around.

“That’s my parents… I bet they are worried sick.” Asriel said.

“Look Wally, if you want to help… you need to acquire seven human souls.”

“How do I do that?” I asked.

“You would have to kill seven humans, or take the souls from dying humans. I had the power to do that… but I chose not to.”

“Come, Asriel…” a motherly voice called out. I could see the want in Asriel’s eyes.

“But… Asriel.. If you go home, you might not be able come back… is that what you want?” I asked. “You would deny your mom and dad the chance to see the surface?”

“Wally, don’t do this to me. All I want to do is go home now, and live a quiet life with my parents.”

“But…you made it to the surface… you have a chance to free your people now.”

“Asriel… my son… come hither.” A comforting male voice called out. 

“Mom, dad, please... we just want to help out” Asriel said out loud.

“Who is we?” I asked.

“We?”

“Chara and Asriel!” Chara’s voice called out to me.

“No… you…. Asriel… do you have Chara’s soul?” I pleaded. 

“Yes… he is within me. In order to pass the barrier, I needed a human soul. Chara was going to die, so he willed it to me.” Asriel explained. I held my head against Asriel’s chest.

“What are you doing?” the monster asked.

“Looking for my friend, my long lost friend...deep down.” I explained. “Chara… I am sorry for not being there for you…” I whispered.

“I… I can’t. I have to go Wally.” Asriel hugged back.

“I can feel him Asriel...Now I know why I saw Chara in you. Because he is inside of you!”

“Please, Wally. Stop.” Asriel begged.

“He tells me to help get the monsters out of the Underground, Asriel.”

“Goodbye Wally.” Asriel said.

Suddenly Asriel pushed me away, and he began to run through the barrier. I watched him fade away into a silhouette and disappear. For a brief moment I saw three human like shapes, hugging. Asriel was home again. 

“Asriel… Chara… I will find a way to break that barrier… to see you again someday.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I enjoyed thinking about what would have happened if Asriel did not get mortally wounded at the village, and instead returned safely back Underground. I guess I left it open to add more to the story, but as of right now, I do not plan to add any more chapters to the story. Feel free to leave a comment or feedback though. 
> 
> My other ongoing Undertale AUs:
> 
> "Determined with Blindness" (What if Frisk was blind?) http://archiveofourown.org/works/11419866
> 
> "Paid to Save" (a world where monsters and humans are at war) http://archiveofourown.org/works/11327280


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